The Time of Birth - December 24, 2022 - Christmas Eve - Text: Daniel 9:25: Luke 2:1-7

This year during the season of Advent through Christmas and New Year’s Eve we are looking at some of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, including the promise to Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to David as well as His birth place, His travel to Egypt, and finding the New Testament passages that confirm their fulfillment in our Savior, Christ Jesus.
 

Today we begin with Daniel’s prophecy of the time of the birth of the Savior. Daniel says, “Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time” (9:25). From the time of the order to restore Jerusalem, from the time of the decree of Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem, until the time of the Messiah, there shall be seven weeks, then shall be sixty-two weeks for the Temple to be constructed. In other words, following the restoration of Jerusalem, the promised Savior would be born.
 

Notice, however, Daniels last words, “but in a time of trouble.” Indeed, there was much trouble concerning the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem as well as the temple. A lot of history was taking place from the time the Jews were dispersed throughout the world and the time of Jesus’ birth. And as we know, at the time of Jesus’ birth the Romans were in power so that even through the Jews had some freedom, they were still being ruled by others.
 

As we move into the New Testament, today we read and hear Luke’s historically accurate birth narrative. Luke is a doctor, a physician and an historian. And Luke is meticulous in making sure he gets the facts and the history correct. And since we do not yet have a calendar with B.C. and A.D. he uses historic people to set the time frame. So, Luke tells us that the events of which he is writing were happening when Caesar Augustus was emperor meaning somewhere between 30 B.C. and 14 A.D. which is when history writes that Caesar Augustus was reigning.
 

But Luke is not done making sure we get the exact dates of Jesus’ birth. He also writes that Quirenius was governor of Syria. Quirenius was governor of Syria some where between 51 B.C. and 21 A.D. and most probably around 6 A.D. And he relates that a census or registration was occurring which history bears out as being around 6 A.D. as well.
 

Luke attests to the fact that Daniel’s prophecy has been fulfilled as history bears witness that Jerusalem has been restored, although it is now under Roman rule, in other words it was under troubled times. So, Luke gives us the date and he makes sure we are confident of the place. He relates that Mary and Joseph traveled from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, where Mary and Joseph were living, to Judea, to the home town where the great Israeli King David was born, which is Bethlehem. As we hear time and again, God’s timing is perfect timing and so all the events were taking place according to the will and command of God. Indeed, as God created this world He has never left it to run on its own and although from a physical point of view that God has created a closed system of nature and matter, the fact is that He continues to be God and at this time is preparing to enter into our human time and history.
 

Luke gives us the account as he tells us that Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem, the city of King David, because they were from the line of David, and actually then we would know that as the promised Savior would be from the line of Jacob’s fourth son, Judah, they were also from the line of Judah. Thus we see that from a human perspective, according to the flesh Jesus is heir to the throne, that is the earthly throne of David. And certainly this heritage may have caused Him some bit of trouble as there was a question concerning His kingship. However, this earthly throne was not a part of Jesus’ birth nor plans because He came to bring salvation and to open the way for all to His heavenly, eternal life kingdom.
 

Luke informs us that Mary was with child. Please notice that he does not say that she was about to give birth even before they arrived, in other words he never expresses any idea of there being an emergency as they came into Bethlehem. As a matter of fact Luke tells us that “while they were there,” in other words, sometime after they arrived she gave birth. Remembering that this was their home town and that it was full of relatives who had also come to register, certainly there were family member who were there to bear witness of and help with the birth.
 

Luke speaks of the fact that Jesus was born and laid in a manger. As I have said before, and I am not trying to disrespect traditions of Christmas, but contrary to what we see depicted in too many movies and plays, as we look at the words of the text and as we employ common sense we might better understand the actual events while enjoying some of the “romantic” notions of tradition. Luke tells us, or rather it is translated that there was no room in the “inn.” The word used for an actual “inn” as we think in terms of a hotel today is actually a different word and is used in the parable of the Good Samaritan when he left the man at the inn. The word in our text that Luke uses is the same one he uses when Jesus asks His disciples to prepare the upper room for their Passover celebration. Luke infers that Mary and Joseph were in the main part of the house, not the kataluma, the upper room or guest room, or as it is translated, the “inn” as it was full.
 

Because the guest room was filled, because this was family and family would not be sent to sleep in the garage or barn, they were most likely staying with the family in the main part of the house. In the main part of the house there would be animals and thus there would need to be a way to feed the animals. Thus, Jesus’ first bed was a manger, a feeding trough for those animals that stayed in the house with the family.
 

What does this mean? As we have said many times, God’s timing is perfect timing. As some have suggested, God has given us the Old Testament in light of the New Testament which sounds backwards. In other words, even well before creation God knew what was going to happen because He is omniscient, knowing all, living in the eternal present. Because God knew what He was going to do to save us, He has given us the Old Testament and the events and history of the Old Testament to bring us into its fulfillment in the New Testament. Thus, following the history and promises of the Children of Israel, their failures, their dispersion and their coming back into the promised land, rebuilding the temple and Jerusalem, we have the ultimate fulfillment in the birth of the Savior.
 

According to God’s perfect plan and timing, when all of history was at just the right place and time, God proceeded with the main event, the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Jesus, true God, Son of God, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, thus making Him truly God and conceived and born sinless in order to live a sinless life in order to take our sins upon Himself. Jesus, true man, born of the human woman, the virgin Mary was a complete human being. He had to be human in order to trade His life, His perfect human life for our sinful human lives. The command in Eden was perfection. The price for imperfection, for sin was set in the Garden of Eden, death, human death, human blood had to be shed for human life and human sin. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin we are all conceived and born in sin, thus there is nothing we could do to save ourselves. Indeed, a dead person cannot bring himself back alive. Thus, Jesus took our sin, paid the price, died and rose and now gives us His forgiveness and life.
 

So, tonight we begin our celebration. We celebrate that our salvation is secure. We celebrate that we have forgiveness of sins and with forgiveness is life and salvation. We celebrate all the good gifts and blessings our Lord gives to us, that He gives us faith, that He strengthens us in our faith, that He gives us forgiveness, life and salvation and He gives us all these things through the means He has given to give us these gifts, His means of Grace. And so we celebrate the Word of God which He gives, we celebrate Holy Baptism, as well as Holy Absolution and His Holy Supper. We celebrate what a loving, gift giving God we have, a God who has done all that needs to be done for us and gives it all to us. So, tonight we begin our celebration, even more so in the morning and we will celebrate for the whole twelve days of Christmas. We begin with our rejoicing, to God be the glory for Jesus’ sake. Amen.